And Team Sonisphere organisers added American alternative metallers Deftones and Frank Turner & The Sleeping Souls to the rock event’s line-up today (Wednesday), with both playing on the same stage as headliners Iron Maiden.

Joining them at the Hertfordshire stately home this summer will be American ska punk pioneers Reel Big Fish, Canadian progressive metal band Protest The Hero and Scottish pirate metallers Alestorm.

Blitz Kids will play Sonisphere Festival 2014 at Knebworth

Reel Big Fish will play the Saturn stage on the Sunday, while Alestorm will appear on the same stage on the Saturday.

Also appearing across the weekend are the likes of Slayer, Anthrax, Airbourne, Mastodon, Dropkick Murphys, The Sisters of Mercy, Chas & Dave and Devin Townsend Project.

Of the latest line-up additions, Deftones and folk-punk troubadour Frank Turner are the biggest draws.

After playing the main stage at Reading and Leeds Festivals last summer, Sonisphere Knebworth will be Deftones’ only UK show of 2014.

They will play the Saturday below Iron Maiden.

Frank Turner on stage [Picture: Alan Davies]

Deftones drummer Abe Cunningham said: “We are absolutely stoked to be part of Sonisphere’s return and of course to have a chance to once again play a show with Iron Maiden, especially on the hallowed grounds of Knebworth.”

Frank Turner’s addition to the line-up is no real surprise considering he has a tattoo of Iron Maiden mascot Eddie.

At the time, Team Sonisphere member and KiliLive promoter Alan Day (@alandayrocks) tweeted: “well @frankturner got more @IronMaiden questions correct than I would have done!”

The Sonisphere Festival 2014 line-up for Knebworth Park

KiliLive – the team behind Sonisphere and Red Hot Chili Peppers’ huge 2012 Knebworth gig – have promoted dates on Turner’s current headline arena tour, with the Tape Deck Heart singer playing the O2 Arena in London tonight (Wednesday).

Turner also performed live during Danny Boyle’s stunning London 2012 Olympics Opening Ceremony.

The former vocalist of post-hardcore band Million Dead is no stranger to Hertfordshire either, having played a sold-out concert last summer at Hatfield’s Forum Hertfordshire, just down the A1(M) from Knebworth Park.

Turner is delighted to be sharing a stage with his heroes for the first time.

The 2014 Sonisphere Knebworth line-up so far

THE PRODIGY

IRON MAIDEN

METALLICA

AIRBOURNE

ALESTORM

ALICE IN CHAINS

ANTHRAX

BLITZ KIDS

CARNIFEX

CHAS & DAVE

DEFTONES

DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT

DROPKICK MURPHYS

FRANK TURNER & THE SLEEPING SOULS

GHOST

GOJIRA

HOUNDS

ITCH

KARNIVOOL

KERBDOG

LIMP BIZKIT

MASTODON

MAX RAPTOR

ONLY CRIME

PROTEST THE HERO

REEL BIG FISH

SILVERSTEIN

THE SISTERS OF MERCY

TRUCKFIGHTERS

SLAYER

THE VIRGINMARYS

VOODOO SIX

He said: “I’m excited to be playing Sonisphere this year, and super excited to be playing the same stage as the first band I ever fell in love with – Iron Maiden.

“It’s definitely going to be my festival highlight for 2014.”

Of the other bands added to the Sonisphere extravaganza, a number have played in the county before.

Blitz Kids were on the Slam Dunk Festival line-up at the University of Hertfordshire in Hatfield last May, as was former The King Blues frontman Itch.

Blitz Kids also played a pre-Reading gig at The Horn pub in St Albans last August.

Southern Californian favourites Reel Big Fish – one of ‘Ska Punk’s Big Three’ – are currently touring the UK with Less Than Jake, having previously co-headlined Slam Dunk South in Hatfield.